


A Small Light

by Moriavis



Series: Finding ways to come together [19]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Hanukkah, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 01:45:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16822633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moriavis/pseuds/Moriavis
Summary: Leonard could see that keeping their relationship secret from Barry's family was painful. Perhaps love was worth the vulnerability.





	A Small Light

**Author's Note:**

> What? Is this a holiday story a year in the making? Why yes, I believe it is.
> 
> Special thanks to dungeonmarm for looking this over and telling me to write more. I hope everyone enjoys it!
> 
> Happy Hannukah!

~*~

Leonard glanced over the top of his magazine, stealing a look at Barry. Barry always liked to sit on the other end of the couch and tangle their legs together in the middle, and damn if Leonard didn't secretly like being able to stick his cold toes into the bend of Barry's knees. At least, that was what he would normally do. Something had Barry riled up, and he had shifted on the sofa for a comfortable position five times in the last two minutes.

"If you can't sit still," Leonard said after Barry squirmed again, "you can go sit on one of the chairs."

Barry jumped at the sound of Leonard's voice, unhappiness written on every line of his face before he grinned, embarrassment evident in the way his nose crinkled, the way his eyes squinched together. He had so many tells, and sometimes Leonard wanted to point them out, wanted to teach Barry how to hide. How to keep himself safe. Other times, he knew he would never say a word. It didn't hurt to have an ace up his sleeve. "I think I should probably go, actually. Get a look around the city and see if anyone else is causing trouble while the Rogues are quiet."

Leonard smirked. "If you wanted to play cops and robbers tonight, all you had to do was ask."

That earned him another laugh, and Barry shook his head. "No, I… just have some stuff on my mind. Nothing big." Barry pulled away, disappearing in a flash of yellow lightning. He reappeared in front of Leonard, shoes and jacket on, and leaned down to give him a kiss. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Leonard agreed. "Have fun." Barry zipped away, and Leonard stared at the article he'd been reading. He couldn't focus on it, his thoughts on Barry, as they were more and more often as time progressed. Barry wasn't lying, necessarily, but he wasn't telling Leonard the entire truth either.

Fortunately, Leonard could read Barry like an open book. And he knew exactly what he needed to do.

~*~

Sitting in the corner at Jitters and waiting for Detective West to come get his caffeine fix wasn't a great idea, but Leonard needed a non-threatening, neutral location. Maybe the surprise would keep Detective West off-balance enough for Leonard to say what he needed.

"Snart?"

Game on. Leonard raised his glass in welcome as Detective West glared at him, his fingers twitching toward the handcuffs at his belt.

"It's a pleasure, as always." Leonard took a sip of his drink and smiled in the face of Detective West's tension. "I see we both have a thing for an iced Flash every once in a while."

"You have five seconds," Joe said, his tone slow and easy, "and then I'm taking you in."

"For what?" Leonard arched his eyebrow and took another sip of his drink, even slower than the one before. "I'm a law abiding citizen, sitting here and enjoying my coffee. You've got nothing on me." That part was true — Rip had taken care of the new criminal records he'd gained after killing his father. He was a free man. Still, he was going to be the bigger man here. He tilted his head, slid his gaze to the side. "I'm not here to pick a fight."

"That's unbelievable," Joe said bluntly, but he took a step back, his hand relaxing at his side. "And being seen with you is, quite frankly, not great for my reputation."

Leonard stood and gestured toward the door. "Let's walk. I'll let you choose the destination."

A muscle in Joe's jaw worked for a minute, and then he took a long swig of his drink and headed out the door. Leonard followed after him silently. Joe West moved slowly, ambling along like he wasn't seconds away from decking Leonard, and Leonard matched his pace.

"Spit it out, then," Joe said, and Leonard took a deep breath. Exhaled.

"Barry's dating someone."

Joe stiffened and shot Leonard a narrow glare. "I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Think about it for a minute." Leonard took a drink of his coffee. "I'll wait."

It took less time than he expected, to give credit where credit was deserved, and Joe stopped dead in the middle of the sidewalk, turning to face him. "No."

Leonard's smile was thin. "Surprise."

A mixture of frustration and confusion crossed Joe's face. "Why you?"

Leonard shrugged. "Can't really tell you. But keeping you in the dark was killing him, and I watched him wrestle with his options long enough. So I'm telling you." He grit his teeth, every instinct in him fighting against vulnerability. Joe West didn't deserve to know how Leonard felt.

"What's the goal, Snart?" Joe was suspicious again, blaring it loudly in the slant of his eyes, the aggressive tilt of his body.

Leonard turned toward Joe, cool and collected. "Can't say I've had experience in decent father figures, but Barry looks up to you. Respects you. He loves you, and I respect that."

Joe's face smoothed out, and he looked at Leonard for a minute, like he was trying to dissect Leonard's motives. For once, he only had one motive. It was a rather novel experience. 

"Thank you."

"Don't get used to it." Leonard smirked. "Saying nice things makes me break out in hives." He took one last drink of his coffee and walked over to a trash can not far away to toss the container. "Don't screw it up."

"I think I know how to talk to my son," Joe said, crossing his arms over his chest, his coffee cup resting awkwardly on his arm.

Leonard shrugged again; the relationship between Barry and Joe interested him only in how it affected Barry. "This thing, between me and him. That's not changing, so don't make me regret my decision." Leonard had said what he needed to say, so he turned on his heel and walked off. 

Maybe Joe West would surprise him.

Maybe Barry Allen was a good influence on everyone.

~*~

When Leonard got to his apartment, he could hear movement from inside before he even unlocked the door. Was that singing? What the hell was Barry _doing_? And it had to be Barry — Lisa and Mick knew better than to come into his space while he was gone. 

Leonard cautiously opened his door and cased the area — Barry had brought his laptop over, and it was open to Youtube, playing something in Hebrew. Barry'd found his menorah, and there was a box of unlit white Hannukah candles next to it. He shut the door quietly behind him and raised his hand to his forehead in exasperation.

There was a popping sound, and Barry exclaimed, "Shit!" There was a flash of lightning from the entrance of the kitchen, and then Leonard heard, "Hi, Len! I let myself in!"

"I can tell." Leonard bypassed the menorah on the coffee table and peeked into the kitchen. Barry was in front of the stove, oil hissing in a pan, and Leonard's affection blossomed so intensely he almost couldn't breathe from it. "Are you trying to make me latkes?"

Barry grinned over his shoulder at Leonard and then awkwardly tried to maneuver a latke with his tongs. "It's the first night, and I just thought it would be fun to make some food and hang out."

Leonard shook his head. "Get away from my stove, kid. You know better."

Barry winced unapologetically, but turned off the heat and stepped away from the stove.

Leonard held out his hand, and Barry took the invitation to step into Leonard's space and nuzzle his shoulder.

"You know Hannukah's not a big deal, right?" Leonard murmured into Barry's hair. 

"I thought I'd screw this one up the least," Barry confessed. 

"You're trying too hard, Red. Chill out. Please."

Barry sighed, and Leonard turned his face against Barry's temple, pressing a kiss there. "Take a seat at the table. I'll make the latkes."

Barry smile was brilliant as he pulled away, and Leonard's heart tumbled over itself, slow and painful. Barry was good and smart and ridiculous and Leonard had never wanted anyone the way he wanted him.

No one, not even Joe West, was going to take this away.

~*~


End file.
